the last days of disco.

the only thing better than a whit stillman film is a whit stillman film presented with criterion clarity. having recently received my copy in the mail from the greatest website ever, i couldn't wait to revisit the sleek soundtrack and characteristically shrewd screenplay that pins two determined women against the glossy backdrop of early-eighties manhattan.

an unlikely bit of casting by today's standards, blockbuster-babe kate beckinsale (charlotte) and indie-darling chloe sevigny (alice) are equally unlikely friends, knee-deep in the editorial rat race, slaving away in meager publishing assistant positions, fresh from their ivy-league educations and intent on nothing more than stimulating conversation with their astute, male counterparts. oh, and of course, a dancefloor.

upon reluctantly moving in together, they become immediately aware of their mutual animosity, and that their conflicting and contradictory quests for happiness are at the source, resulting in dual epiphanies: by the end, disco has died, the hopelessly optimistic alice is skyrocketed to the top rung of the corporate ladder, and the outspoken know-it-all charlotte is left to reevaluate her beliefs.

in between the trysts and turns of socioeconomic imbalance, the girls flock to the hottest club in town, a studio 54-type where the girls are pretty, vodka-tonics and cocaine are abundant, and so, too, is the charming array of harvard-educated admen and yuppies on the prowl for all of the above. these traits are inconsequential when compared to the retro dance moves and groovy sounds of diana ross, sister sledge and evelyn 'champagne' king. without a shred of irony, big problems (i.r.s. raids, embezzlement) and similarly smaller ones (venereal disease, missed periods) all manage to melt away once the d.j. strikes up the latest disco chart-topper. don't let the music fool you: this film has insight, style and substance to spare.

 

 

 

original costume designer sarah edwards, recently featured in interview, stated that had she the enviable task of reimagining those timeless outfits for a modern-day alice and charlotte, she would be most inclined to sample styles from the likes of acne, the row and vionnet. we took a look at the best these design houses had to offer.

clockwise from top left: dana sleeveless dress, $440; rama long skirt, $250; patti oxford shirt, $270; evans swag dress, $500 - all from acne

vionnet, spring 2010

  

 

 clockwise from top left: halston heritage, one shouldered cocktail mini, $287; helmut lang, roll-up sleeve blazer, $575; organic by john patrick, raw hem oxford shirt, $240; lacoste, short sleeve polo, $95; charles anatase, berthe trench coat, $1145 

 

these / are / the / good times.
leave / your / cares / behind.

strangers with candy.

comedy central has seasoned the airwaves with some of the most irreverent cable programming of the past twenty years: strip mall, reno 911, chapelle's show, politically incorrect... the list goes on. none, however, take the moist snack-cake like strangers with candy, the hilariously offbeat series (1999-2000) starring paul dinello, stephen colbert and amy sedaris.

a self-described boozer, user and loser, jerri blank (sedaris) is an ex-junkie prostitute who after years in prison, decides she's ready to return home, settle down and finish right where she left off: as a high school freshman. where is the humor in this, you might ask? jerri is 46 years old. supposedly modeled after motivational speaker florrie fisher, blank is equally endearing and grotesque as she comically meanders through one teenage tribulation after another. eating disorders, mental illness, homophobia: the opportunities for hilarity are endless.

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being a student at flatpoint high requires nerves of steel. this is an institution where the principal would rather rig the homecoming election than see an ugly girl crowned prom queen and teachers deter their students from writing papers on anything "too faggy." for an outsider, surviving four years at this school is akin to blood sport.
(in one particular episode, much is made about the arrival of a new kid. after a few days of ridicule and torment, said kid is chased out by a mob of students and faculty, wielding torches and pitchforks). the beauty of strangers with candy is it's misguided homage - or impudent swipe - towards the absurdly slanted after-schools specials of the 70's and 80's which warned about the perils of drugs, promiscuity and bullying... instead, taking the piss out of it all and teaching absolutely. nothing.

 

 

 

amy sedaris has said that she enjoys playing underdog characters that require extensive physical transformations. an icon in the physical comedy world, she maintains that her obsession with costumes goes back to her childhood where she would ask for, and gleefully receive, a new birthday wig every year. fast-forward nearly one half-century, and the fascination remains: it isn't too many 50-year-old actresses nowadays that would admit to climbing into their own, personal fat suit just to lounge around in their million-dollar mansions. given her unique approach to personal style, there are tons of gems to find scattered throughout the series' meager 30 episodes.

 

 high-waisted riding jodhpurs and fringe-seamed denims paired with woolen turtlenecks in muted, autumnal tones, are favourites of jerri blank.

  

chloe, fall 2010 ready-to-wear

chloe, artistic director hannah macgibbon in fall 2010 ready-to-wear

 

 

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ralph lauren, blue label twill stretch jodhpurs

despite their central display throughout, it is highly doubtful that jerri managed to fish any starched jodhpurs out of the bargain bin at her local comfort zone. it would seem safe to assume that this favourite tapered-leg / wide-hip-hugger combo can be attributed to sedaris' penchant for aforementioned fat suits (bottom half, anyway).

studded acid-wash denim jumpsuit, rokit.co.uk

 in conclusion, there weren't too many runway looks that mimicked those of a deluded, well-meaning, 46-year-old hobgoblin named jerri blank. despite this crushing fact, the unique and style-savvy wardrobe pieces displayed here are fantastic examples of a bygone time and era: prison-snitch / junkie-whore circa 1999 by-way-of 1989. ok... it is a total stretch. but amusing, nonetheless. in reality, does any woman really want to be told that they look like a "boozer, user and / or loser?" i think not. thanks for the everlasting inspiration, jerri! 

clockwise from top left: rochas, brogue ankle boot; nicole miller, faux stretch leather pants; chloe, patchwork knit sweater; bruno bordese, washed suede fringed boots; true religion, denim vest; 3.1 phillip lim, stretch cotton jodhpurs; bailey, pumpkin jersey turtleneck; marc by marc jacobs, nylon backpack.

toys.

a stunning work of visual delight, barry levinson's toys delivers on it's promise of whimsical excitement by creating a peculiar world of color, equal parts beauty and the bizarre. it seems only fitting that a film about a toy factory and it's 'happy workers' take place in a seemingly parallel universe where people drive bumper cars and wear pink plastic wigs. everything about this motion picture is awesome: the soundtrack (enya, grace jones, thomas dolby, tori amos), the score (hans zimmer, wendy melvoin), and the breathtaking shots - interior and exterior.

 

i remember discovering this film years ago, as a child, fixed atop a high shelf in the vhs section of the video store. the alluring front cover cassette case featured a photograph of robin williams, wearing a cheshire cat grin and a red bowler hat with a square hole in the center. needless to say, i was struck dumb. no doubt, my eight-year-old self went off in search of a cheap laugh. what i found instead was a veritable smorgasbord of inspiration - color, costumes and style galore - i am not ashamed to admit that it remains one of my all-time favorites.

the true star of the picture is perpetual scene-stealer and double oscar-nominee joan cusack as alsatia zevo, the eternally optimistic and kind-hearted robot sister to robin williams' lesie zevo. a true innovator and literal head-to-toe mannequin, alsatia is the self-styled resident fashion designer and clip-on-clothing-enthusiast at zevo toys; her office, where she creates fabulous paper-doll dresses, is a man-sized dollhouse. she also sleeps in a duck-bed and has a penchant for applesauce sandwiches. it's difficult not to fall in love with her.

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marc jacobs' paper-doll-inspired dresses for louis vuitton, spring 2012, bring an air of the fantastic to the runway. pastels! pastels! pastels! jackets that look like they were crafted in a manner similar to those of paper snowflakes: folded, snipped and unfurled to reveal a dizzying mosaic pattern of empty space.

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alsatia's style throughout the film runs the gamut from edwardian coats to victorian lace. porcelain doll to court jester. cusack's doe-eyed gaze and alabaster skin makes her the perfect canvas. 

a true original.

 

orla kiely, 2011 silk georgette bib dress

erdem, 2011 spring ready-to-wear

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there is a definite military influence throughout the film, most obviously the usurper general zevo (michael gambon) and his war toys. when we first espy gwen tyler (robin wright) in the duplication room, her get-up gives the impression that she might be working for the enemy. a sexy toy solider with blonde tousled locks, she has the makings for the perfect femme fatale. thankfully, her sweet southern twang and charming array of off-centered plaid bow ties, slightly askew, make our hearts melt.

 

 

balmain, 2009 spring ready-to-wear

balmain, 2009 spring ready-to-wear

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a testament to it's stunning visuals, the film received two oscar nominations in 1993 for production design and costume design (albert wolsky). inspired chiefly by belgian artist rene magritte (see golconda, 1953),  toys is replete with surrealist imagery. it is an exemplary picture with the right amount of thought, humor and pink and purple whimsy. just plain fantastic!

clockwise from top left: ann demeuelemeester, military boot; balmain, military jacket; temperley, lace tunic dress; zara, tartan bow tie; orla kiely, georgette bib dress; rebecca minkoff, red blazer; assorted vintage toys at polyvore.com